Pancakes for dinner - JJPOPE

Chapter ten

"Sup." JJ voices into the phone pressed against his ear, dropping himself back against John B's bed. The two had just gotten back from doing some fishing when JJ's phone rang with a call, Pope's contact popping up on the screen.

"Hey, JJ, you busy?" Replies Pope, sounding as anxious as ever.

Grinning, JJ snorts. "Nah, what's up?"

Clearing his throat, JJ can basically hear Pope chewing at the inside of his cheek, an anxious habit JJ had picked up himself from the other male. "Would you like to come and spend the day with me and Angelina?"

JJ's heart sinks.

"I want you guys to get to know each other."

"Why me?" Questions JJ, trying to hide the snark within his tone. "Why not the others?"

Pope gives a sigh. "Because for some reason I trust your judgement." Says Pope, dragging a hand down his face. "I need to make sure you both get along, cause if you don't.."

Oh. Pope wanted JJ's judgement on his girlfriend? Pope trusted JJ's judgement on people? As horrible as spending the day with Pope and his girlfriend would be, JJ knew he had to do it. It was Pope for God's Sake. JJ would do anything for him, even if it hurts JJ.

"Alright, alright." Sighs JJ, running a hand through his hair and gripping harshly. "I'll come, don't stress."

"Yes!" Shouts Pope, and JJ can only imagine the grin plastered across his face. "Thank you, dude. I owe you!"

JJ smiles softly. "Yeah, yeah. Just tell me where to be and I'll be there."

Turns out, neither Pope nor Angelina had been to the new ice cream parlour the group had gone to all those weeks ago. All those weeks before Pope and Angelina became official, all those weeks before Pope seemed to disappear more and more often, leaving JJ without anyone to tell him of any strange facts about space to keep his mind at ease.

The bell above the door rings loudly, echoing through JJ's ears, forcing a wince from bitten at lips and his eyes to squint with pain, flicking them over the many tables until he catches sight of Pope's familiar head of hair. Smiling softly, fondly, JJ strolls over, being greeted with Pope's sweet sweet fucking smile that made JJ's head spin and his heart race. Pope's gaze fades from JJ's face to the feminine voice beside him, Angelina making an appearance and taking away JJ's smile.

"Hey, JJ." Greets Pope, the smile on his lips shifting from fond to just plain happy, his hand clapping against JJ's shoulder.

Clearing his throat, JJ holds himself back from drifting into Pope's warm and comforting touch, painting on a tight lipped smile. "Hey."

"JJ." Says Angelina, flicking her eyes up and down JJ's body.

Malice is held beneath her gaze, and it makes JJ feel suddenly self-conscious. His scruffy hair, old and withered clothes, scuffed shoes, bruised face. He was hideous. Something far out of her definition of beauty.

Nodding in her direction, JJ rubs his arm awkwardly, the bracelets hanging from his wrists drifting up and down his skin, tickling and beads clanking together. "Angelina."

Pope seems completely and utterly oblivious to the discomfort held in the air and leads them over to pick out their ice cream. Angelina grabs Pope's hand in an almost possessive manner, throwing his arm around her shoulders and keeping her body close to his. It forces JJ to take a step back, to bite the inside of his cheek and draw blood across his tongue, to drop his hands down at his sides and keep his head down, the sorrowful expression on his face hidden.

Angelina felt threatened by JJ, or at least felt the need to make it clear what was hers. Pope was hers. Pope was her boyfriend, Pope was her shoulder to cry on, Pope was her hand to hold. Pope was Angelina's. Not JJ's. Pope would never be JJ's.